Due to the lapse in appropriations, Department of Justice websites will not be regularly updated. The Department’s essential law enforcement and national security functions will continue. Please refer to the Department of Justice’s contingency plan for more information.

You are here

Justice News

Former Key West Bank Employee Indicted For Obstruction Of Justice And Disclosing Grand Jury Information

Tampa, Florida - United States Attorney Robert E. O'Neill announces the unsealing of an indictment charging Karen Galo (33, Key West) with two counts of obstruction of justice and one count of disclosing the contents of a federal grand jury subpoena to a third party, with the intent to obstruct a judicial proceeding. If convicted on all counts, Galo faces a maximum penalty of 35 years in federal prison.

According to the indictment, on or about October 9, 2008, Galo, in her capacity as an officer of Key West Bank, notified a third party about the existence and contents of two federal grand jury subpoenas related to an investigation into mortgage fraud and money laundering. Galo disclosed these federal grand jury subpoenas to the third party with the intention of obstructing a judicial proceeding.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Simon Gaugush.